October 23, 2007

Let’s face it: sometimes life gets CRAZY! Lately, my schedule has been filled with papers, books, exams, soccer games, Bible studies, and all the random things that college life entails. In addition to that, Southern California has literally caught on fire since Sunday.

A couple weeks ago, I was able to sit down and write out a few things I wanted to remember during the busiest time of the semester.

Remember that it’s all about God, not about you. It’s easy for me to start thinking things like, “I have so much I have to do.” I quickly forget that everything I do should ultimately be for the glory of God. Remembering that it’s all about God can be a very liberating thought. Suddenly, all the things I have to do are no longer boxes on my “to-do list;” they are ways to glorify God.

Remember the gospel. Whether life is good or bad, busy or calm, Christians always need to remember the gospel. When my life is crazy, there is nothing more important for me than to recall that I was dead in my sins and headed to hell but God saved me and gave me eternal life in Christ. The beauty of the gospel always helps to give perspective, and nothing brings joy to a stressful day like remembering that all my sins of been forgiven.

Keep your best friends close. My brother gave me this advice. When life gets busy, you lose touch with your closest friends–even your roommates. You might still see them, but conversations are brief and sometimes rushed. In the midst of craziness, I have found I must fight for time with those closest to me. Taking a break and making a Wal-Mart run with your roommate can make a big difference in the midst a research paper and an exam.

Enjoy. If you want to learn this principle, read Ecclesiastes. There is nothing better than for a man to enjoy his labor. Whether I’m practing music for Bible Study, sitting in class, or researching Harvard Law Review articles in the library at 11pm, I need to remember to enjoy what I’m doing! All the different work God has given me to do is a gift!

That’s all for now. Until next time, seriously pray for the fires in Southern California and all those that are displaced. Also, pray that this situation would create opportunities for the gospel!

October 2, 2007

Last week, my small group started a new exercise we like to call “Gospel Me.” It was inspired partly by Scott Burns of NorthPoint EV Free in Corona and partly by Peter Barber of Generations–my Bible study. “Gospel Me” works like this: When you see another small group member in the hallway, in their room, in the bathroom, or around campus and you say, “Gospel Me,” they have ten seconds to give you the good news of Jesus Christ.

In order to help prepare us for this, we looked at a number of passages that capsulize the gospel, like 1 Cor. 15:3-4, 2 Cor 5:21, John 3:16, Titus 3:3-7 and many more.

Yes, the exercise may seem a bit silly, and it has not caught on like wild fire, but the point of this practice is crucial. Christians must constantly be reminded of the gospel! If we do not constantly refresh our minds with the truth that we were dead in our sins but made alive in Christ, our spiritual lives will suffer. Our joy will be weak, and our anxieties will be strong. Our evangelism will slack. Our worship will grow cold. Our sanctification will slow down.

If we want to avoid these pitfalls, we need to be continually preaching the gospel to ourselves and our friends. Memorize some of those verses that capsulize the gospel. Write the gospel on a 3×5 card and look at it daily. Preach it to yourself as your reach for the alarm clock in the morning. Instead of beginning your prayers with the standard “thank you for this day,” thank God that he delivered you from this present evil age.